


Stay With Me

by brookethenerd



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-28
Updated: 2014-12-28
Packaged: 2018-03-03 23:21:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2891867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brookethenerd/pseuds/brookethenerd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After tartarus, Annabeth and Percy are still recovering from the trauma. And sometimes, the nightmares get the best of them.<br/>(aka Annabeth has a nightmare, Percy is a cutie, and fluff)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay With Me

**Author's Note:**

> Characters belong to Rick Riordan.

****

Percy’s first thought when he heard the screaming was ‘were being attacked’

He pulled riptide out from underneath his pillow and uncapped it, running towards the door of his room on the Argo ll. He flung it open and stepped into the hall, stopping when he saw Jason leaning his head out the door across from him. Piper was tucked at his side, and they both looked sleepy.

“What’s going on?” Jason asked, yawning, his sword in his hand. Even if it was the middle of the night, he was ready for battle. Percy noticed _katoptris_ at Pipers side.

“Annabeth.” He answered, sighing. No one was being attacked. She was screaming her way through a nightmare, Percy realized. He capped riptide, and tossed it back through his door and onto his bed.

“I got this. Go back to bed. Don’t let Hedge catch you two together.” Percy called back softly, heading towards Annabeth’s room at the other end of the hall.

He opened the door softly, and Annabeths screams had quieted to shrill whimpers. He could see Annabeth’s body thrashing in the covers. He shut the door behind him, and moved over towards her bed, shaking her shoulders lightly.

“Annabeth. Wake up.” Percy whispered.

Her eyes snapped open and she immediately lurched up and back, not recognizing Percy in her stupor.

“It’s okay. It’s just me.” He said, placing a hand on her leg. Her chest heaved, and she pulled her knees up, resting her head against them. Her hair fanned out around her, and Percy ran a hand through it, tipping her head up to look at him.

“What was it?” He asked softly. A single tear slipped from her eye, and she reached up and wiped it away. Percy reached an arm out, and she slid over into the crook of it, her head on his shoulder.

“I couldn’t see. I couldn’t hear. I couldn’t find you and I was just-stumbling around bumping into things,” Percy felt a sliver of anger surface towards Calypso, who was the reason behind the curse that plagued Annabeth’s mind even after they escaped from the pit, “and I felt someone chasing me. I couldn’t find you. I couldn’t find you. I can never find you.” Her voice was dripping with fear and Percy pulled her tighter into his chest.

Annabeth felt fragile after those weeks in Tartarus. But she was also stronger than she had ever been. Percy was the same. While there physical wounds had healed, the emotional ones were taking longer.  

“I’m right here Annabeth. I promised you we’d stay together didn’t I?”

“You can’t control everything Percy. You don’t know-“ Percy pressed his hand over Annabeth’s mouth, and she wrinkled her nose.

“We should make some hot chocolate.” Percy announced, his voice loud in the dark room.

“Right now is not the time for-“ Her voice hadn’t lost the frightened edge, which made Percy more determined.

“Right now if the perfect time for hot chocolate.”

“Percy no, I just want to go to sleep.” She said, twisting her tank top hem in her hands.

“My hot chocolate always makes you feel better.” Percy said.

“Its 3 in the morning.”

“No better time.”

“Percy please-“

She was cut off as Percy grabbed her hand and pulled her from the bed.

She sighed, and followed him to the kitchen. He grabbed her by the waist, and positioned her next to him near the microwave. He pulled out a mug, and saw her smile when she realized he had grabbed her favorite. It had some math joke that Percy didn’t understand, but it made her laugh, therefore he liked it.

“Can we please go-“

“Shh I’m trying to concentrate.” Percy said, filling up the mug with milk.

She sighed, and glanced over her shoulder as Percy stuck two mugs in the microwave, hers, and a baby blue one.

“I wonder if we’ll ever stop doing that.” Percy asked, staring down at the counter.

“What?” She replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Looking over our shoulders. Being tensed for a fight. Having nightmares every night.” Percy was never afraid to say what was on his mind, and this was one of those times.

“I don’t know. It’d be nice. But we historically have not gotten lucky, so I’d say no.” Annabeth said, shrugging her shoulders.

The microwave beeped behind Percy, and he reached in and grabbed the mugs. He set to work on mixing in the cocoa, and Annabeth watched him, the repetitive stirring action oddly calming. He handed her the cup after a minute or two, and held his arm out.

“Walk with me?” He asked. Annabeth nodded, fitting her arm into the crook of his. They made their way up to the deck, walking the edge.

“Do you ever think about her?” Annabeth asked. Percy didn’t have to be a genius to know she was talking about Calypso. There wasn’t jealousy in her tone, it was just curiosity. Percy took a sip of his cocoa, and set it on the ledge of the ship. Annabeth set hers next to it.

“I think she’ll always be a ‘what if’. I used to think about her a lot. But that was before-“ Percy stopped, and his cheeks flushed.

“Before me.” Annabeth finished. He nodded.

“Are you angry at her?” She asked, looking off the edge of the ship. The Argo ll was passing through the clouds, and it left a chill in the air. They had stopped walking, and Annabeth leaned into Percy’s side.

If there was anything Percy had learned about Annabeth, it’s that she would get an answer. He didn’t even try to lie. Annabeth was good at weaseling things out of people.

“I guess. But do you blame her for cursing me? What would you have done?” There was a spark of fire in his eyes, something that Percy had gained since Tartarus. It scared her, this new found anger he seemed to possess. This fire that blazed hotter and more often than it should. But Annabeth never said anything, because she was as broken as he was.

“I would have come up with something more original.” Annabeth said, nudging Percy’s stomach. He laughed softly, and turned towards her. The look on his face clearly stated ‘end of conversation’

So she wound her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around her, his hands pressing against her back. She breathed him in, and sent a small prayer of thanks to the gods, thanking them for giving her Percy, for keeping them together. He lowered his head so that their foreheads were touching, and Annabeth shut her eyes. They stood still, neither wanting to break the moment. Then his nose brushed against hers, and he pressed a delicate kiss to her lips. Percy pulled away, dropped another kiss on her nose, and untangled himself from her.

“We should head back. Hedges watch is in an hour and we don’t want to be anywhere near this place when he gets up.” They both wrinkled their noses thinking about the wrath her would bring down if he caught them out this late.

Percy laced his and Annabeth’s fingers and they meandered back to the rooms. He stopped outside and rocked back on his heels like a nervous 6 year old.

“Are you gonna be okay or do you want me to stay?” Percy asked, nodding into Annabeth’s room.

“Can you stay?” Annabeth asked quietly. Percy nodded, and she smiled gratefully.

He went over to her bed and pulled a pillow off, tossing it onto the floor.

“Don’t be an idiot and get in the bed.” Annabeth asked, crawling in and pulling the covers over her legs. She scooted close to the wall and patted the space next to her.

“Annabeth I don’t know if-“

“Get in the bed Percy.” She commanded, raising her eyebrows. Percy swallowed and climbed in, perching on the edge.

“You’re so modest, it’s adorable.” She said, laying back.

“I’m not adorable.” Percy mumbled. Annabeth laughed, and turned towards him.

“Can we cuddle or is that too inappropriate for the 1950s side of you?” Annabeth teased.

Percy smiled, and rolled over so that Annabeth’s head was right next to his, sharing one pillow. He snaked an arm under her, pulling her towards him. She folded into his side, their legs twined together.

They lay in silence for a few minutes, Percy tracing a hand down Annabeth’s arm.

“Not to make it awkward Seaweed Brain, but do you have a-“ She looked down in his ‘genital area’ and Percy nearly choked.

“Dear gods Annabeth that’s my arm I don’t have a-gods Annabeth.”

She let him suffer in his own embarrassment for a minute longer before speaking.

“I’m kidding but you should see the look on your face right now Percy.” Annabeth’s body shook with laughter, and Percy’s face turned an even brighter shade of scarlet.

“You are the worst person I have ever met.” He said, pulling away from her. Annabeth grabbed him and pulled him back towards her.

“I’m sorry. Stay and cuddle with me. I promise I won’t make any more penis jokes.” She said, wiggling her eyebrows.

Percy groaned, but buried his head in Annabeth’s hair.

“I lovvvvvvve you.” She whispered.

“I love you too.” Percy grumbled. Annabeth laughed, and they settled into silence. Soon after, both of them fell into a deep sleep, a nightmare free sleep. And a little part of that is probably because they were wrapped so tightly in each other’s arms, there was no room for the evil to get in.


End file.
